Immigration, Experience, and Memory: Urban Archaeology at Elfreth's Alley, Philadelphia

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on mid- to late-19th-century Philadelphia immigrants, their experiences, and how their lives have been remembered or, as in this case, forgotten. During the course of this study Elfreth’s Alley in Old City Philadelphia is used as a lens through which to critically examine elements of immigrant experience and memory construction from an archaeological perspective. Designated as a National Historic Landmark, Elfreth’s Alley is credited with being one of the oldest, continuously-occupied residential streets in the nation. Formed in the early-18th century, Elfreth’s Alley became home to a large immigrant population, predominantly from Ireland and Germany, during the mid- to late-19th century. In the 20th century the narrow thoroughfare was selectively recognized as an important historic site in Philadelphia based on its colonial origin and early American architecture. Within this context, this dissertation expounds two interconnected lines of rediscovery at Elfreth’s Alley. The first is the rediscovery of the physical world in which immigrants lived; the second is the rediscovery of the abstract landscape of memory in which they were forgotten. The archaeological analysis of 124 and 126 Elfreth’s Alley in this text focuses on deconstructing the physical built environment on the street to understand the lived experience of immigrant occupants, while an examination of the public archaeology program implemented on the Alley explores how programming helped reshape memory at the historic site and fostered dialogue about the presentation of history and contemporary immigration. Through combining the results of documentary research, urban archaeological excavation, and public programing, this dissertation reveals the complexity of urban immigrant life and memory at Elfreth’s Alley specifically and Philadelphia at large.